


Drabble Collection

by loubuttons



Series: Stark Raving Mad [10]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Blood, Drabble, Gen, Hospitals, Hurt Peter Parker, Hurt Tony, Mentioned Ben Parker, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Short One Shot, Steve Rogers & Thor Friendship, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Angst, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-02
Updated: 2019-03-02
Packaged: 2019-11-08 06:41:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17976287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/loubuttons/pseuds/loubuttons
Summary: A small collection of drabbles from tumblr.





	1. Chapter 1

“Tony, I want Tony,”

 

“It’s alright, Peter, he’ll be here soon,”

 

“Where is he — want Tony, where is he?”

 

Thor sees understanding escape Peter. He exchanges fearful glances with Steve, who cradles the boy to his chest.

 

“He’ll be here soon,” Steve promises again, “He’ll be here soon,”

 

The sight makes him ache. His legs twitch with the pain, he flinches away from Steve’s arms. Blood paints both of their chests; Steve tried and failed to stop the river. With every ragged breath, Peter draws closer to Valhalla. Thor doesn’t want him to go.

 

“Where is he?”

 

Steve cries softly into the young warriors hair, too overcome to speak. They only met a week before, but he clings to Peter as if he were his own son.

 

“Where — I want Tony,”

 

The panic in his eyes is too much for Thor. He lowers himself to the ground beside them, reaching out to grasp Peter’s cold hand.

 

“Tony?” He asks, eyes clouded and streaming.

 

“No, little one,” He tries to smile, “But he will be here soon,”

 

“You-“ He coughs, “Thank you,”

 

Thor has held too many dying hands, felt them go slack. He grips Peter’s tighter to make him stay awake.

 

“You fought bravely, Peter,”

 

He laughs, “I fought...stupidly,”

 

“Young men do that sometimes,” Thor laughs too, his eyes clouding like Peter’s.

 

“Hey, do you...do you think I’ll — if I die again...” He swallows, “When I die again, will I go to Heaven?”

 

Thor doesn’t know where that is, but he nods, “None are more deserving,”

 

“Thank you,” His whispers are thick, “When Tony gets here can you...when he gets here can you tell him I’m sorry?”

 

Thor understands why they lied — the hole in Peter’s chest is too large, only his healing factor has kept him alive all this time — but now he feels it’s cruelty.

 

“He knows, Peter,” Steve promises. He strokes Peter’s curls away from his forehead with blood-sticky fingertips.

 

“But you’ll tell him away?”

 

His hand twitches in Thor’s, “Of course,”

 

Gasping, he convulses in Steve’s arms. He holds Peter closer.

 

Back arched, Peter asks, “Tony’s not coming, is he?”

 

A tear drips down his nose and Thor hangs his head, “No,”

 

“Oh,” His sob sounds almost curious, “Am I going to see him soon?”

 

“Yes, little one,”

 

His turns his head, gazing intently into Thor’s eyes, “I’ll tell your brother you miss him. I’ll make sure everyone is alright,” The last promise is meant for Steve, who whispers his thanks.

 

The clarity fades again, “Where’s Tony?”

 

“He’ll be here soon, Peter. I promise,”

 

Thor clutches his cold hand.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Each new chapter is unrelated to the one before. I hope you enjoy.

The stench of hospitals has become nearly unbearable for Peter. Since Ben’s death, he hasn’t stepped foot inside even a clinic. He gags on the memory, trying to bury himself in the scent of Tony’s skin. His palm is stuck to Peter’s cheek; Peter’s snot has crusted his nose to Tony’s wrist. He inhales deeply but his chest still feels empty.

 

Tightening his grip on Tony’s wrist, he presses his limp hand harder into his own cheek, “It stinks in here, Tony,”

 

His tongue tastes vile, even his lips are gummy. Something about crying always leaves Peter’s mouth glued closed.

 

“Even you smell bad. What’d they wash you in?” He tries to sniff out Tony’s expensive cologne and can’t.

 

The purple-grey bruise from an IV on Tony’s left hand catches Peter’s eyes. The nurse couldn’t find his vein on the first try. He looks at Tony. As he takes inventory, he gags again.

 

Tony’s skin is yellow; the nurse said it’s only from surgery, that nothing is wrong. His face is bruised and lax. His hair is plastered to his forehead. His beard is overgrown. Even his eyelids are puffy. He looks nothing like Tony.

 

After Ben went in for surgery, they never gave him back. They’ve only returned a shell of Tony.

 

“They left dirt under your nails,” Peter says, gazing at the imperfection with adoration, “So I know — I know — you’re here. But I...I can’t do this again,”

 

His lips brush Tony’s nail. Numb, he lets tears wet their entwined knuckles, “So please. You’re — I love you. I love you,”

 

Crying like a child, he clutches Tony’s hand, “I love you. I love you. I didn’t get to say it to any of them. None of them. I love you. So please don’t make me say goodbye,”

 

Exhaustion tugs him downward; Peter sobs into Tony’s lap. His limp hand falls onto Peter’s neck. If he closes his eyes and ignores his nose, he can pretend Tony meant to place it there. Clinging to the abrasive blanket, he falls asleep.

 

He wakes to the nurse adjusting something. He ignores her and goes back to sleep.

 

The hair on the back of his neck stands up. Gentle rotating pressure against it wakes him. He panics, sitting up so fast his head spins.

 

“Whoa,”

 

Peter’s eyes snap to Tony’s face. His smile is crooked, and his eyes droop.

 

“Tony?” Stunned, Peter manages to mumble and shout at the same time.

 

Tony winces, “Sure, if you say so,”

 

Every word is slurred. He smiles lazily at Peter, fond admiration carved into the lines of his face.

 

Desperately, he grasps Tony’s hand, “Are — should I call the nurse?”

 

“Nah, she was just,” He pauses, sighing, “Just here. But I wanted to see you before I fell back asleep,”

 

As he speaks his eyelids drop. He struggles to open them again, but the smile never leaves his lips.

 

“I...thank you,”

 

“For what?”

 

“Waking up. Coming back,”

 

Closing his eyes, Tony laughs, “Did I go somewhere?”

 

Peter drops his gaze, staring at their interlocked fingers. The dirt remains fixed under his nails.

 

“I guess not,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I hope you liked it. Let me know what you thought with comments and/or kudos.


	3. Chapter 3

“I know, oh, I know,” His murmured assurances trail into humming. Peter gasps again, his tiny body shuddering against Tony’s chest.

 

Pressing a kiss into Peter’s head, he sighs, “It’ll be ok, Tater Tot,”

 

Peter whimpers, nestling further into his father’s chest. Gently, Tony massages his delicate scalp, wishing Peter could actually touch his chest. The mound of metal protruding out of his sternum keeps them apart.

 

Twitching, Peter startled himself awake again. He wails, sharp and piercing.

 

“JARVIS,” Tony asks, fear and frustration coloring his tone, “Is there something wrong with him?”

 

“No, Sir. He’s likely just exhausted,”

 

“Then why won’t he go to sleep?”

 

“Perhaps the light from your arc reactor is disrupting him?”

 

He must be as exhausted as Peter because his eyes sting at the thought. He sinks down into the plush rocking chair in the corner of the room. Peter screams again, evidently outraged Tony dared to take a seat. Tony closes his eyes and bears it.

 

Eventually, his boy gives in. Peter clutches the collar of Tony’s shirt. The silence is somehow worse. With his three-month-old son cradled against his chest, Tony feels the weight of what Peter means.

 

A black line of poison appeared on his chest the same day he picked Peter up from the hospital a month ago. Since then he’s had more sleepless nights than he can count. He hasn’t had a drink in weeks. He has a son. He’s dying.

 

The tears aren’t unexpected this time; he cries whenever he thinks about leaving the light of his life behind. Every second that isn’t spent with Peter is in his lab, trying to find a cure.

 

When a sob shakes him, Peter gasps, a tiny fitful sound.

 

“I’m sorry,” Tony laments softly, “I’m sorry, baby. Daddy loves you,”

 

Yes, he loves Peter. More than Tony knew was possible. But is he the best thing? Is a dying alcoholic what this angel deserves? With his next trembling cry, Peter wakes up fully. He screams again.

 

Tony rocks back and forth, tucking Peter into his neck, and cries them both to sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Let me know what you thought with comments and/or kudos. 
> 
> My tumblr is @loubuttons. Come tell me about your day!


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